Container



May 11 1943. B. M F. HINES CONTAINER Filed April 25, 1940 INVENTOR fir'f/W B ,0 45m, W

ATTORNEYS Patented May 11, 1943 commas Benjamin McF. Hines, New York, N. Y., assignol' to Vick Chemical Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application April 25, 1940, Serial No. 831,581

4 Claims.

This invention relatm to improvements in containers. and more particularly to containers provided with two. separate compartments for separate powders which must be kept from contact with each other until the time of use, but which are intended to be dispensed and used at the same time. The containers of the invention are of simple and economical construction, are readily manufactured in quantities, and effectively prevent admixture of the powders prior to use.

- Containers of this nature have a number of uses. One important use, for example, is for the packaging of tooth powders or dentifrices hav- 1118. as one constituent, sodium perborate. It has been found that tooth powders containing sodium vperborate are difflcult to fiavor, because the perborate, in the course of time, attacks nearly any flavoring material which can be used. Dentifrices of this nature may include the sodium perborate, a material such as acid calcium phosphate, and an added polishing agent, such as precipitated chalk, precipitated tricalcium phosphate, etc. I have found that if a dentifrice of this nature is packaged in two separate compartments, with the sodium perborate and acid calcium phosphate in one compartment and the added polishing agent together with flavoring material, detergent, etc. in the other compartment, with the arrangement of the container such that both may be dispensed simultaneously, substantially all of the advantages or such dentifrices are retained, while at the same time the dentifrice, when used. may have a more agreeable flavor. Similarly, other materials, intended for simultaneous use, but having a tendency to interact when in contact, such as alkaline salts and medicinal materials, such as aspirin, etc., may be advantageously packaged in these new containers.

In accordance with the present invention, a container is provided which has an outside casing, similar, for example, to the body customarily used in tooth powder containers, two sleeves, which form the compartments for containing the two powders, fitted tightly therein and extending somewhat above the outer casing and a top, generally similar to the breasts of tooth powder containers now provided, except that it is provided with a longitudinally extending central partition, which, when the top is forced down over the inner sleeves and into contact with the outside casing, extends between the two sleeves. The shape of the top should be such that it fits rather tightly against the upper portions of the sleeves. The longitudinally extending partition efiectively prevents admixture of the powders by sitting or flowing over the top of the sleeves or around the edges thereof. The sleeves themselves maybe provided with bottoms, but advantageously, to minimize the cost of construction, are not provided with bottoms, but fit into grooves provided in the bottom disc of the outside casing, the grooves being effective to prevent, the flow oi powder from one sleeve to the other along the bottom or the container, par-. ticularly if a sealing medium, such as paraflln, is used.

The invention will'be further illustrated in connection with the accompany ng drawing. which shows a. container which embodies the invention, but it is not limited thereto.

In the drawing,

Fig. l is a sectional view in elevation of a contamer which embodies the invention Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the cover of the container;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the inner sleeves along the line 3-4; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan of the container with the cover and the inner sleeves removed.

Referring to the drawing, and in the container illustrated therein", there is provided an outside casing l0, having a bottom l2, which is provided with grooves ll corresponding generally to the shape of the sleeves to be inserted in the casing, and depressed downwardly so that the lower edges of the sleeves fit into the grooves. The bottom I2 is seamed to the sides of the casing [0 in the usual way. Ordinarily, the sides of the casing will be made of cardboard or fibre-board or the like and the bottom of sheet metal, al-

though, of course. other materials may be used. Into the casing fit the two sleeves I6 and I8, of substantially the same size and of a size such as to form a snug fit within the casing l0 and to fill the space within it quite completely. These sleeves may be made of cardboard or fibreboard or other suitable material. They extend somewhat above the top of the casing II). The top 20 fits over the extended portions 2| and 23 of the sleeves l6, and either into contact with :the outside casing as shown, or over or under its upper edge with a telescopic fit (not illustrated). The top is so designed as to form a reasonably tight joint. with the upper edges 22 of the sleeves, and may be provided with a shoulder (not shown) to insure the formation of such a joint. The

prevents powder from moving from one of the sleeves to the other. Because oi this construction, with the integral central partition. the top is advantageously made of a suitable plastic material which is capable of being molded, as it is diflicult and expensive to form such a. top of metal, fibre-board or cardboard or the like. A suitable material for the top is one of the transparent, synthetic plastics capable of being molded by injection molding. The top is also provided with openings for dispensing the powders, which are advantageously located in the central portion of the top and adjacent to the longitudinal partition, as shown, so that when the powders within the container are used, both may be dispensed at the same time and admixed and used together. Of course, in dispensing the material within the container, it is not necessary to dispense both together, nor is it necessary that the two openings in the top of the container be juxtaposed. A friction or snap cover 26, or other [type of cover, may be provided.

In making the containers, it is advantageous to place a small quantity-oi paraflln wax or other suitable sealing material in the bottom either before the sleeves are put in place or afterwards, and to cause this paraflin or other suitable sealing material to flow around the lower edges of the sleeves, to perfect the seal and to insure against any flow of powder from one sleeve to the other.

Usually, in constructing and filling the containers of the inventio the outside casing and the :two inner sleeves will be assembled, the two sleeves will be filled and the top will then be put in place, being held in place either by the frictional fit over the sleeves, or by a telescopic fit over or under the outer shell or casing, or by a band applied after assembly around the joint between the top and the bottom shell (not shown), but other methods of assembly may be used.

It will be understood. of course, that the con-- tainer may be made with more than two compartments. to keep more than two materials separate, although in the same container, by constructing sleeves of suitable shape and providing a top with partitions of such nature as toseparateeachsleeve.

Iiclaim:

1. A dispensing container comprising 9. casing having a closed bottom and an open top, a

plurality of open-topped sleeves fitting within said casing and having contiguous side walls. said sleeves making a tight fit with the bottom of the casing and having their upper ends extending above the open top of the casing, a cover having a downwardly-extending peripheral flange fitting over the portion of the sleeves which extend above the top of the casing and having a partition extending from the top thereof downwardly between said-contiguous side walls of the sleeves, said cover having an opening in the top thereof at each side of said partition for permitting material within said sleeves to be separately dispensed.

2. A dispensing container comprising 2. casing having two open-topped sleeves fitting within said casing and having linear, contiguous side walls, said sleeves making a tight fit with the bottom of the casing and having their upper ends extending above the open top of the casing, a cover a downwardly-extending peripheral fiange fitting over the portions of the,

sleeves which extend above the top of the casing and having a partition extending from the top thereof downwardly between said contiguous side walls of the sleeves, said covering having an opening in the top thereof at each side of said partition for permitting material within said sleeves to be separately dispensed.

3. A dispensing container as set forth in claim 1, in which the partition in the cover is integral therewith 4. A dispensing container as set forth in claim 1, in which the bottom of the casing is provided with grooves into which the lower edges of the sleeves fit. 1

BENJAMIN McF. HINES. 

